A Walking Contradiction
by Insert-Name-Here01
Summary: A Monstrumologist goes missing, and Pellinore and his closest companions are called to find him in the Amazon-if he's still alive. Along the way, they search for a massive beast, but end up taking one back; one that no human eye can detect till it's too late. pre-series. (ie, Will Henry will be showing up at the end of the story. if I get that far) sorry for terrible title


That hatred swelled inside him like a raging ocean. It was the hatred of a want. A riptide of emotions he wished he did not have; tugging, tearing at him to grab that need and dragging his desire down to the bottom of his metaphorical ocean of selfish wants. The man he wished to strangle and embrace was the worst want and was currently on his mind.

The obsessive need for a friend struck him as terribly (almost painfully) odd, and though he was indifferent to people, he needed a companion and it had to be this other human being. Why not buy a puppy? A dog was always a good, loyal companion—never questioning the motives of its master. Yet he knew what would end up to the puppy—childhood had already confirmed that it would be found bloated in a river.

Never had he wanted a companion, his independence never struck him as loneliness—he never needed a significant other, a comrade, a pal. No, nothing of the sort and now, since John Kearns had met him, he wanted Pellinore Warthrop. The man was a walking contradiction! A hypocrite if Kearns wanted to be so harsh—in which he did. They were mere acquaintances, but he wanted more than that—he craved genuine friendship. Which bothered him and fueled his raging hatred for Pellinore—who he could not hate! So should he embrace? Or should he beat?

These primitive thoughts were not welcome in society, especially when there were eyes and ears around. This violent and gentle urge would have to be withheld. Pushed back to the dark recesses of his mind only to spring back, like a predator that pounces on its prey. That desire to ensnare, to steal (whether Pellinore's attention for a moment, or take him from his current environment). The want to just hurt him for being him self, but at the same time not. Ha! He saw himself as sane for he was, unburdened by nonsense like the rest of the mediocrities who have the audacity to call themselves sane! And this incoherent want drove him mad! And in a way it was nonsense. So was he not better than the rest of this Godforsaken race?

_Now is not the time_, he thought to himself, _to reevaluate yourself and human kind's entire existence_. He observed the now cold tea in his cup as he sat in Pellinore's library, dust playing in the late afternoon's rays. The place could really use a proper dusting. James could be heard talking to Kearn's dear _acquaintance_ at the doorway. He was indifferent to people, yes, but the one man he hated more than Pellinore was James. Oh, James was perfectly intelligent— though never enough to exceed Pellinore's intellect (the reason, as Kearns thought, was why Pellinore kept him around)—and well mannered and never insulting. But the fact that he came off as eager and naïve made him want to…to strangle the man! It was annoying.

"Ah, Pellinore" James shrugged his coat off, the April chill seeped down the hallway as the doctor closed the door, "Do we have a new specimen? Perhaps a new case to investigate?" there was excitement in his voice.

Kearns could hear the smile playing on Pellinore's lips, his voice light and casual. It was pleasant to have nice company, "In a way, yes." They were walking down the narrow hallway towards the library, "Which is why I brought you over to discuss it with you and—."

"John?" James finished spotting the seated Brit. He hesitated before entering—should he be happy to see him or not? Last time the man gave him quite the headache, and that was awhile ago.

Kearns stood, placing his cold tea down, "I prefer Jack" He said lightly, his cherubic face soft in the dimming light of a cold day, "And, have we met before? You seem to have a memorable face. " He flashed him a cheery smile, extending his hand. James took it and felt like his arm would fall off from John's (or Jack's) vigorous shake and painfully tight grip.

James smiled weakly and withdrew his throbbing hand, "Yes, we have met before, I am James."

"Ah! Of course, how could I forget? Quite the conversation, wasn't it?"

James held back a grimace; if you could call it that.

Kearns stood a moment longer in James path, whom was a bit shorter than Kearns. James was very uncomfortable by this new, looming presence, "So, Doc, tell me—exactly what is this new…case?" Kearns asked casually, returning to his seat and tea, freeing James from his shadow. He watched James carefully as the man made his way across the room; how he wished James were dead. A loyal mutt was what he was—always yapping at Pellinore's heels. Better if he were the pup bloated in the river.

James took a seat besides Kearns in an adjacent chair; Pellinore continued to stand as if he were the teacher and they the students, "Yes." Pellinore continued, though there was a hint of discomfort in his voice. It made Kearns smile.

"Are you gentlemen familiar with the Mapinguary?"

Kearns laughed, "A giant sloth!?"

"Well, more or less ape in a manner of speaking."

"Yes, and what about it?"

"There have been sightings—."

"There are always sightings. But I suppose there is, to some extent, a hint of truth."

"Jonathan Kelly, I assume you would know him?" He spoke quickly, trying to get to the point without being judged.

"Ah, yes. Hunted ghost cats with him once." James looked up at Kearns quizzically, "Fine Monstrumologist he is, or was, or whatever happened to him. You guys seem to drop like flies nowadays."

"That's exactly what has caught my attention. He was on an expedition in the Amazon, finding the Mapinguary was one of his intentions and he has disappeared off the face of the earth."

"Well that is just not good. He was a pretty decent fellow and extraordinary when it came to a hunt. You'll never believe what happened when we had been searching for—."

"Kearns." Pellinore interrupted, "Now is not the time to tell us your stories. What I wanted to get at was that his disappearance gives us the perfect opportunity to search for the beast, if it is real. If we don't find it, the expedition won't be for nothing. We would have gained back a friend and, well, expert hunter."

"If he's not dead."

"Yes" Pellinore nodded curtly, "If he isn't dead." There was a hint of doubt in his voice and hovered in his dark eyes. Something that Kearns noticed.

"But how are we to fund this expedition?" James asked, uncertain himself (though he would hate to admit it. Doubting his hero isn't the most comfortable feeling), "And who would we bring along?"

"Half of it is coming from my own pocket, the other half from a friend of Von Helrung's"

"The other… half?" James questioned.

"His wife, Von Helrung's, was very close friends with the mother of Johnathans. They are apart of a banking family or help with a banking family or something." Pellinore waved his hand, dismissing the muddled facts, "Nonetheless, The family became close after the marriage between the two now, with their Johnathan missing, they sought for help."

"Curious" James probed, "But why would they seek your aid?"

Pellinore stiffen, _why wouldn't they? _He almost let his thoughts slip but he quickly caught himself, "Someone is to be wedded in his family, he can't miss it. So he has called for my help. So what do you think of it?"

James stood and stretched, the two men looked at each other then at Pellinore, still seated and very serious about the matter.


End file.
